Summary of the invention
The object of the invention is by directly forming laser medium and even whole laser on soi substrates, solve the problem that the laser of avoiding prior art to face in other words or laser medium and silicon base are difficult to combine, the light signal that laser is produced can be transferred in silicon device, can realize the integrated of laser and other semiconductor device.
To achieve these goals, the invention provides a kind of semiconductor laser, comprising:
SOI substrate;
Be formed in the laser medium in the top silicon layer of SOI substrate, between described laser medium and the insulating layer of silicon oxide of SOI substrate, there is silicon material layer.
Optionally, the thickness of the described silicon material layer between described laser medium and described insulating layer of silicon oxide is 2nm to 30nm.
Optionally, the material of described laser medium is one or more in GaP, GaAs, InP, InGaAs, GaInAsP.
Optionally, the resonant cavity, the fiber waveguide that are formed in SOI substrate or in SOI substrate is also comprised.
Present invention also offers a kind of method forming laser medium layer, comprising:
SOI substrate is provided;
Remove the top silicon layer of segment thickness, at least retain a part of silicon layer;
Retained silicon layer grows laser medium.
Optionally, the step of the top silicon layer of described removal segment thickness, comprising:
Top silicon layer is formed patterned photoresist;
Utilize photoresist to make mask, the segment thickness of etching top silicon layer, forms opening.
Optionally, the step of the top silicon layer of described removal segment thickness, for carrying out cmp.
Optionally, the silicon material layer thickness retained is 2nm to 30nm.
Optionally, after retained silicon layer grows laser medium, anneal.
Optionally, the material of described laser medium is one or more in GaP, GaAs, InP, InGaAs, GaInAsP.
Optionally, the laser medium of formation is distributed as multiple regions of single region or the distribution in array.
Present invention also offers a kind of formation method of semiconductor laser, it utilizes the method for the mode of above-mentioned formation laser medium to form laser medium.
Optionally, formed after laser medium, utilize semiconductor fabrication process in top silicon layer or on form resonant cavity, fiber waveguide.
The present invention uses SOI substrate to form laser medium, and SOI substrate provide not only the insulating barrier that one deck is buried, and its top silicon layer also provides the condition of preparation planar optical waveguide and other optics.In addition, by controlling the technological parameter of etching and time to make to retain the silicon crystal that skim is different from general body silicon materials buried insulator layer (silicon dioxide) is upper, it is the film being approximately two dimension, has certain ductility.The heterocrystal that lattice constant has less difference can be grown in the above, as the laser medium material of iii-v.And utilize the method for optical exposure can define the region of growth laser medium material very accurately, then utilize the top silicon layer of dry etching to soi wafer to etch, prepare optical active component in the position of specifying, be beneficial to the integration of photoelectric device and integrated.
The present invention forms laser on SOI, makes laser of the present invention and manufacture of semiconductor mutual tolerance, can realize well integrating with electric device, can prepare electro-optical modulation device and light-optical modulation device.Development for following high-speed chip has potential meaning.In addition, laser of the present invention, can adopt the production process of semiconductor of standard to produce, and technique is simple, stable, convenient and easy.
Embodiment
The problem combined is difficult to for semiconductor laser dielectric material and silicon base, inventor proposes a kind of method be formed directly into by semiconductor laser dielectric material in SOI substrate, solve the problem that the laser of avoiding prior art to face in other words or laser medium and silicon base are difficult to combine, thus realizing the integrated of laser and silicon base semiconductor device, the light signal that laser is produced can be transferred in silicon device.
Implementation method of the present invention comprises:
S1: SOI substrate is provided.SOI (Silicon-On-Insulator, silicon-on-insulator) technology is between top layer silicon and bottom silicon, introduce the oxide layer that one deck buries, and the SOI substrate of formation is supreme the end of from comprises bottom silicon, insulating layer of silicon oxide and top layer silicon.
S2: remove Portions of top layer silicon, insulating layer of silicon oxide retains skim silicon.
The mode that can take is: in top silicon layer, form opening by etching.The bottom of opening also retains one deck silicon materials, this one deck silicon thickness is thinner, and the crystal being thinned to this layer of silicon is different from general body silicon materials, and it is the film being approximately two dimension, there is certain ductility, the heterocrystal that lattice constant has less difference can be grown in the above.In general, the thickness range of this layer of silicon materials is 2nm to 30nm.
Also can adopt otherwise.Such as, ground off the silicon materials of the top layer silicon of segment thickness by cmp, retain and be thinned to the silicon meeting above-mentioned requirements, thickness range is 2nm to 30nm.
S3: grow required laser medium material.
The method of the growth laser medium adopted can be molecular beam epitaxy, chemical vapour deposition (CVD), magnetron sputtering etc.Laser medium material can comprise GaP, GaAs, InP, InGaAs, GaInAsP etc.
The reason that laser medium material can grow on soi substrates is: the lattice structure of the skim silicon that insulating layer of silicon oxide retains is unstable, so, the atom of the semiconductor laser dielectric material of III-V and II-IV compounds of group, can adhere to the brilliant key growth of this thin-layer silicon.
After laser medium is formed on soi substrates, the technique of assisting can be taked to strengthen its performance.Also other parts can be formed, to form complete semiconductor laser.Such as:
S4: carry out annealing process is more stable with the lattice structure of the laser medium material making growth.Annealing temperature is that between 600 DEG C-1200 DEG C, the time is from 5s ~ 600s.
If what use is the silicon materials that cmp grinds off top layer silicon before, retain skim silicon, then in whole superficial growth laser medium material, so according to actual needs, after annealing, can also etch opening in laser medium layer, depositing silicon fills opening.
S5: use chemical mechanical milling tech, carry out global planarizartion.
So just define the laser medium of laser on soi substrates.
The laser medium of laser can be arranged in multiple mutually isolated region according to array mode.
S6: formed or increase resonant cavity, driving source etc., to form complete semiconductor laser on SOI.
With the semiconductor laser that said method is formed, comprising:
Driving source;
Be formed in the laser medium in the top silicon layer of SOI substrate;
Resonant cavity.
Wherein, laser medium material generation population inversion in driving source excitation laser medium also produces the stimulated radiation of light, formed laser generation by the repeatedly feedback of resonant cavity thus amplified laser, finally, the laser of sufficient intensity and brightness spreads out of laser.
Set forth detail in the following description so that fully understand the present invention.But the present invention can be different from alternate manner described here to implement with multiple, those skilled in the art can when without prejudice to doing similar popularization when intension of the present invention.Therefore the present invention is not by the restriction of following public embodiment.
Secondly, the present invention utilizes schematic diagram to be described in detail, when describing the embodiment of the present invention in detail; for ease of explanation; represent that the profile of device architecture can be disobeyed general ratio and be made partial enlargement, and described schematic diagram is example, it should not limit the scope of protection of the invention at this.In addition, length should be comprised in actual fabrication, the three-dimensional space of width and the degree of depth.
Below for two specific embodiments, describe performance of the present invention in detail:
Specific embodiment one:
In specific embodiment one, in top layer silicon, form laser medium with GaAs, final obtained semiconductor laser of the present invention.Fig. 1 is the Making programme figure of embodiment semiconductor laser.Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 is the schematic diagram forming laser medium and laser in the first embodiment.
Below in conjunction with Fig. 1 to Fig. 5, manufacture method is elaborated.
Perform step S11: provide SOI substrate.As shown in Figure 2, from the bottom to top, the bottom silicon layer 300 of SOI substrate, insulating layer of silicon oxide 301, top silicon layer 302 is respectively.Wherein, the thickness of top silicon layer 302 is
Perform step S12: etch to form opening to top layer silicon, below opening, retain the silicon that a layer thickness is 2nm ~ 30nm.
On the silicon materials of top silicon layer 302, make mask with photoresist, the opening 1 of etching one wide 400nm, long 500nm, ensure that the skim silicon 2 that thickness is 8nm is left in the below of opening 1, the structure of formation as shown in Figure 3.Lithographic method is plasma dry etch.Etching using plasma etching, in the present embodiment, can adopt C in this step
4f
8, C
5f
8, C
4f
6, CF
4, CHF
3, CH
2f
2in at least two kinds as main etching gas, etch rate is 1500 ~
ar, O
2as auxiliary etch gas, ratio is 5 ~ 15 times of main etchant gas flow.The pressure of reaction chamber is 20-120mTorr, and the time is 80-120 second.Remove photoresist, cleaning, dry.
Step S13: growth laser medium material GaAs.
By chemical vapour deposition (CVD), the silicon 2 making GaAs adhere to this layer lattice structure instability grows in SOI substrate, to form laser medium 4.The structure formed as shown in Figure 4.
Adopt the method for Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition to prepare high-purity GaAs material in this example.The raw material used comprises triethyl-gallium, AsH
3and carrier gas He.The design parameter of its growth is: triethyl-gallium flow is 2000mgm, AsH
3flow is 2200sccm, carrier gas He flow is 2000sccm.Environmental stress is 8.2Torr, RF power is 750W, and temperature is 400 DEG C.Growth rate is
growth time is 50s.
Perform step S14: carry out annealing process;
Perform annealing process, object makes the lattice structure of the GaAs grown more regular.Annealing temperature is 1000 DEG C, and the time is 5min.
Perform step S15: carry out global planarizartion;
Use anti-etching method and chemical mechanical milling method to carry out global planarizartion, make the SOI substrate surface being formed with laser medium smooth.
Perform step S16: formed or increase resonant cavity, fiber waveguide and driving source, forming complete laser.
Concrete, the method forming resonant cavity and fiber waveguide is:
The top layer silicon 302 having formed laser medium 4 forms mask, carry out plasma dry etch, with at the side relative from laser medium region two, from laser medium edges of regions, along the equally spaced groove etching some identical laminar cuboids of laser direction preset, then cvd silicon oxide, until these grooves are filled up, and thickness is in the accumulation of surface
silicon dioxide, formed silicon dioxide layer 303, the thickness of silicon dioxide layer 303 is
form structure concrete as shown in Figure 5.
Wherein, resonant cavity is the class optical grating construction L1 formed from the first medium A be close to relative both sides, laser medium 4 region, second medium B cycle staggering, and visible in L2, figure, class optical grating construction L1, L2 is all formed in top silicon layer 302.First medium A is different with the refractive index of second medium B.
When laser medium 4 is under extrinsic motivated, the stimulated radiation that population inversion produces light simultaneously occurs, the laser having all directions produces, and wherein has the laser propagated along the first medium A in the class optical grating construction being close to laser medium 4 region.At the interface of first, second medium A, B, because first medium A is different with the refractive index of second medium B, have part light and can occur in interface generation reflection and refraction, mutually interfere between light, and produce new laser along the stimulated radiation that first medium A turns back to laser medium 4 deexcitation new.And the light not occurring to reflect just continues to propagate along second medium B, first medium A, to the interface of next first medium A and second medium B, part light reflects, and returns, and part light continues to propagate.Be reflected back between delustering and mutually interfere, the stimulated radiation turning back to laser medium 4 region deexcitation new produces new laser.Material is thus formed the repeatedly concussion of light between the class optical grating construction of both sides.Also the cavity resonator structure of laser is namely constituted.
The wavelength relationship that the cell width of first medium A and the cell width of second medium B and laser are in vacuo propagated is specially:
n1*a+n2*b=kλ/2
Wherein, a is the element thickness of first medium A, and n1 is the refractive index of first medium A, and b is the element thickness of second medium B, and refractive index is n2, k is positive integer, λ be laser in vacuum wavelength, and n1 ≠ n2.
In the present embodiment, the material of laser medium 4 is GaAs, and its optical maser wavelength produced that is excited is 0.84 μm.And first medium A is silicon, refractive index is 3.42, and second medium B is silica, and refractive index is 1.54.The second medium B of the first medium A of one unit thickness and a unit thickness of next-door neighbour is a subelement of resonant cavity, and find after inventor carefully studies and repeatedly practises, in the present embodiment, the element thickness a of first medium A is 0.123um, b is 0.273um.Simultaneously subelement stacking fold when being 20, it can reach more than 98% to sharp light reflectance.Therefore in the present embodiment, the number of repetition of the subelement of side class optical grating construction L1 is 20, the number of repetition of the AB repetitive of opposite side class optical grating construction L2 is 12, makes the laser of 10% can propagate out along the direction of L2.
Again, the function of the fiber waveguide in the present embodiment by thickness in top silicon layer is
silicon dioxide layer 303, top layer silicon 302 and insulating layer of silicon oxide 301 combine and realize.When laser is after can propagating out along the direction of L2, the propagation medium of laser is the silicon (not shown) outside resonant cavity.And above the silicon of propagated laser and below dielectric layer is all the silica that refractive index is less than silicon, so luminous energy is confined to wherein propagate.
In addition, driving source (not shown) can be formed by semiconductor fabrication process, then constitute substantially complete semiconductor laser.Such as, the energisation mode of driving source is electrical pumping, electron beam excitation and optical pumping mode, or other any attainable mode.Preferably, the mode for realizing by semiconductor fabrication process.
Can find from above-mentioned execution mode, owing to the invention has the advantages that:
One, skim silicon crystal can be retained by the technological parameter and time controlling etching on the insulating layer of silicon oxide of SOI substrate, it is approximately the film of two dimension, there is certain ductility, therefore the laser medium material utilizing its growth to be generally difficult to grow on a silicon substrate (being GaAs in the present embodiment); And utilize the method for optical exposure can define the region of growth laser medium material very accurately, form laser medium.
Two, SOI substrate provide not only the insulating barrier that one deck is buried, and its top silicon layer also provides the condition of preparation planar optical waveguide and other optics.After SOI substrate ad-hoc location has formed laser medium region, can utilize the laser in the ad hoc structure formation silicon base of SOI substrate, it can realize well integrating with electric device, can prepare electro-optical modulation device and light-optical modulation device.
Three, laser of the present invention, the conventional production process of semiconductor based on silicon base of standard can be adopted to produce, and technique is simple, stable, convenient and easy.
Specific embodiment two:
In specific embodiment two, for forming laser medium for InGaAs in top layer silicon.And the generation type of laser medium polishes top layer silicon for adopting cmp mode, only stay skim silicon, then laser medium material is deposited, again by etching opening in the laser medium material layer deposited, depositing silicon fills opening, the mode using cmp to carry out planarization more finally forms laser medium, and the arrangement in laser medium region is array arrangement.
Fig. 6 is the Making programme figure forming laser medium in embodiment two.Fig. 7 to Figure 10 is the schematic diagram forming laser medium and laser in the second embodiment.
Below in conjunction with Fig. 6 to Figure 10, manufacture method is elaborated.
First, step S21 is performed: provide SOI substrate, from the bottom to top, SOI substrate comprises bottom silicon layer 300, insulating layer of silicon oxide 301, top silicon layer 302.Wherein, the thickness of top silicon layer 302 is
Perform step S22: carry out cmp, in top layer silicon, only remaining thickness is the skim silicon of 12nm.As shown in Figure 7.
Perform step S23: growth laser medium material InGaAs.
Use depositing operation that InGaAs is adhered to only to have skim, the top silicon layer 302 of lattice structure instability grows in SOI substrate.As shown in Figure 8, only have at thickness in the top silicon layer 302 of 12nm and grown InGaAs layer 304.
Also adopt the method for Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition to prepare high-purity InGaAs material in this example, the raw material used comprises triethyl-gallium, AsH
3, trimethyl indium and carrier gas He.Design parameter of its growth is: triethyl-gallium flow is 1000mgm, trimethyl indium flow be 1200mgm, AsH3 flow is 2500sccm, carrier gas He flow is 2500sccm.Environmental stress is 16.5Torr, RF power is 800W, and temperature is 655 DEG C.Growth rate is
growth time is 80s.
Perform step S24: carry out annealing process, object makes the lattice structure of the InGaAs grown more regular.
The temperature of annealing is 950 DEG C, and annealing time is 5min, and annealing carries out in inert gas.
Perform step S25: in laser medium material layer, etch opening.
Utilize photoresist to make mask, at laser medium material layer, namely InGaAs material layer etches some openings by array-like.Cl can be adopted
2/ CH
4/ H
2inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etches InGaAs material layer.The method of the etching InGaAs in this step is not here described in detail, and those skilled in the art should be able to recognize its embodiment.
This step also comprises removes photoresist, cleaning, the process of oven dry.
Perform step S26: by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), depositing silicon is to fill opening.The mode of depositing silicon can use low-pressure chemical vapor deposition, is carrying out depositing silicon by thermal decomposition of silane.Be specially, use pure silane or content be 20% ~ 30% silane and the mist of nitrogen as reacting gas, pressure is 0.2 ~ 1.0Torr, and temperature is 575 ~ 650 DEG C, deposition rate is 100 ~
diborane can be added and improve reaction rate.Deposition time is 70s ~ 120s.
Perform step S27: carry out global planarizartion.
Use anti-etching method and chemical mechanical milling method to carry out global planarizartion, make surface smooth.Form structure as shown in Figure 9, Figure 10.
Can find from above-mentioned execution mode, the invention has the advantages that the region that can define growth laser medium material very accurately, be conducive to the integration of photoelectric device and integrated.
Although the present invention discloses as above with preferred embodiment, the present invention is not defined in this.Any those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, all can make various changes or modifications, and therefore protection scope of the present invention should be as the criterion with claim limited range.